The 5th Annual BYC Easter Hatch-a-long!

[TeaChick]

I read on Ron's digest that someone lost eggs to a faulty thermometer.
I have as well. I set 14 Comet eggs and 4 Leghorn eggs, and they did alright, but I had quitters along the way. It was my first hatch.
I locked down 8 eggs, and switched thermometers. I egg-topsied the seven that didn't hatch. According to the assisted hatching article (link in it to a university study), they had gotten too hot during lockdown.

I found out after the first 36 hours of lockdown that the thermometer I was using was reading 90-ish when the temp was really over 102*.
We named our lone hatchling "Little Red" and we're keeping him/her no matter what (even though I was going to cull all my cockerels). I just can't cull my very first hatchling!
To those who have lost eggs, chicks, etc:

 

[JoyfulPromise]

I also use dog kennels for broodies, they work great. They keep the hen in her area with her other flock mates but eggs and chicks are protected.

Last summer I did to try to let a hen stay broody in her coop nest box and the younger pullets pecked open a egg that was 3 days away from hatching and then a few days later also pecked a hatched chick to death.

I will always separate broodies from their flock after that experience. Im in the process of building some brooders/broody areas.


Once I had a newly hatched chick completely disappear from what I thought was a very secure broody area

I generally try to keep our broody hens in a protected area until their chicks are 2-3 weeks old, then I start letting her bring them out with the main flock during free range time, when the other chickens are more distracted and there is more room to roam. I will close her back in the enclosed area at night, until about 4 weeks when most of our broodies start leaving the chicks. Then I just let them stay with the main flock (who is already used to them) and find their own place.

Last year was the first year we decided to just let all broody hens hatch eggs with the plan to sell or eat any extras. With this in mind, I selected hatching eggs from our largest hens for better eating potential. We ended up having 5 or 6 hens go broody, with a couple of them doing a second batch after their first was old enough! I did let some of them start off in a nesting box, and most were protective enough to stay on their eggs and keep the other hens out, except for a couple times when I caught another hen sitting ON TOP of the broody in the nest! Thankfully my brother finally built me a double decker broody pen at the end of our coop where I was able to put a cardboard box/nest for the broody to sit and have space to come out and eat without being bothered by the rest of the flock. Even then we had trouble when we had three at one time go broody... I think I need a triple decker next time!

 

[TeaChick]

I lost two chicks last night.
Something pulled down the safety netting and got two of the non-descript chicks.
Thankfully, it wasn't Little Red or any of DS's three or Snoodle.

I've got school work to do. Will check in later (and try to catch up).

 

[Cynthia12]

Dick Horstman has SLW Hatching Eggs.....Google Horstman's Poultry. He's very reasonable & from what they say very reputable.

This is so true that Dick is very reasonable and reputable. I had bought some eggs from him a couple of years back. They came, and they were a mess, I mean a mess! More than half were either broken or cracked. I took photos of them for Dick to see. Right away, more eggs were off to me..I waited, and waited and waited. Too far out, he says..I'm sending you some chicks. I got a box full of chicks, all were healthy..little Silver Pencil Rocks...
I have a photo somewhere of one that is older. Very pretty. Those dates are wrong..that old camera..
Anyway, Dick didn't have to do this for me, but he made sure I was a satisfied customer. He has beautiful birds.

 

[Arielle]

Oh how the time is going by so slow for me to start this incubation! I want to put eggs in the bator NOW and I can't!! Winter just keeps dragging on, Norovirus is running rampant in my house (youngest son had it first...took 12 days for him to be normal again...then it hit my mom, then my eldest son, and then my husband. Mom, eldest son, and hubby still sick). The puppies are driving me NUTS

and I still have 2 weeks before they can go to their new homes.

To make matters worse, the local TSC got SLW chicks in and I couldn't buy any...because my brooder needs to stay empty until this hatch-a-long's babies are born. And I can't find ANYONE who has SLW eggs for me to buy local or to trade for my mixed flock fertile eggs to put in the batch to be hatched.

Calgon, take me away!!!!!

Quote: Opportunistic hen!! TOo lazy to make her own nest . . oris it that she is too smart!!

Quote:
My guess is....13

Oh how the time is going by so slow for me to start this incubation! I want to put eggs in the bator NOW and I can't!! Winter just keeps dragging on, Norovirus is running rampant in my house (youngest son had it first...took 12 days for him to be normal again...then it hit my mom, then my eldest son, and then my husband. Mom, eldest son, and hubby still sick). The puppies are driving me NUTS

and I still have 2 weeks before they can go to their new homes.

To make matters worse, the local TSC got SLW chicks in and I couldn't buy any...because my brooder needs to stay empty until this hatch-a-long's babies are born. And I can't find ANYONE who has SLW eggs for me to buy local or to trade for my mixed flock fertile eggs to put in the batch to be hatched.

Calgon, take me away!!!!!

Dick Horstman has SLW Hatching Eggs.....Google Horstman's Poultry. He's very reasonable & from what they say very reputable.
I have never read a complaint about DIck Horstman!

Its to cold my chickens are yelling at me lol

"How do you expect me to lay eggs in weather like this"

Your girl has it right!! Mine had started pciking up but with 10 degrees last night, OMG they will hold off again.

Is she a tolbert-- name is eluding me . . . .

When should I start counting for my hatches?
When is day 3?
When is day 7? 14? 18? 21?
I think that sounds silly, but IDK whether to count the first day as day 1 or day 0.
For instance, I set eggs on Monday morning about 10.
I need all the expert advice and info and experience I can get!!!

Breathe!! St on the date in the first post and you will be good. Day 7, 14 and 18 for candling-- just cound and compare to the chart ---

I set at midnight for a reason-- I can't count hatching day if I set at noon!!

 

[chicken pickin]

Your girl has it right!! Mine had started pciking up but with 10 degrees last night, OMG they will hold off again.

Is she a tolbert-- name is eluding me . . . .

She is a Cream Legbar.

 

[ElizEllen]

I am going to guess 7,993

 

[Sally Sunshine]

I donated a $25 gift card for byc store for one of the contest. I got told not to hatch any more birds till after we move to PA... But, forget that I'll be joining in this year for chickens! I'll just spend some $ on some rare hard to find chickens that should soften the blow and lessen the trouble I get in from the wife! Lol or atleast I hope so...

Thank you tons!!!

hope you find what your looking for!

 

[ronott1]

I am going to guess 7,993

Go to the first page, find the contest link and enter your guess there.

@HappyChooks may have a bit of a hard time finding guesses in a thread that will have 10,000 posts by the time the hatch is over...

To the biggest hatch a long in the World!(maybe?)

 

[chicken pickin]

Go to the first page, find the contest link and enter your guess there.

@HappyChooks may have a bit of a hard time finding guesses in a thread that will have 10,000 posts by the time the hatch is over...

To the biggest hatch a long in the World!(maybe?)

Its gotta be the biggest ... I wonder if there is a world record for the most chicks hatched on the same day through out the entire world?